It's been quite some time since I last posted. I want to continue this blog about my wonderful and crazy family.

I am going to share my memories of my grandfather, Daniel Horatio Sloan. All of the grandkids called him Pipi, so that's what I'll do in this segment.

Pipi was born 7 October 1887 in Richfield Township, Lucas County, Ohio. When he was five, his mother, Mary Ellen (Buskirk) Sloan died. His father, Russell Franklin Sloan remarried to Elizabeth Will.

The next event I can document is his marriage to Pearl Trumpower in 1910. There marriage was a very short one as Pearl died in childbirth. Her son, who was named Pearl Trumpower Sloan, survived. Here is where it gets confusing for someone who may be reading this. Pipi's wife is Pearl Sloan, his son is Pearl Sloan and he has a sister named, you got it, Pearl Sloan! (I remember seeing my uncle's name spelled Pearle also.)

In March 1914, he married Kathryn Edna Beatrice Lehman from Whitehouse, Ohio. The newlyweds moved to Swanton, Ohio in a home built by his father, Russell Sloan.

Three other children were born: Kenneth Franklin, Daniel Lehman, (Junior), and my dad, Jack.

As a child, I really don't have the memories of Pipi. He was an older grandfather when I was born, but I loved him. It was great fun to go into the basement with him and see all the woodworking tools he had that had been his father's.

I remember going down and watching him as he put coal in the old furnace and "stoked" the fire. It was amazing when the coal truck would pull up to the house and back in the driveway. A long chute would extend to the basement window, to the "coal room" and would slowly fill the room with coal. That's where Pipi got the coal for the fire.

When I was lucky enough to spend the day, I got to have lunch with Mimi and Pipi. The kitchen was on the north side of the home with one of the windows facing the back yard. There was a small table that had sides that lifted to make it larger. On one side, under the table leaf, was a drawer that held silverware. I remember being fascinated by that. We always sat in a specific place. Mimi sat to my left and Pipi sat to my right, closest to the back door.

Pipi was a very "dapper" gentleman. At one time, there was a clothing store in Swanton owned by a man named Harry Frogley. Harry thought it would be a good idea to have someone model his clothing. He chose Pipi! Pipi would wear the handsome coats and hats. When someone asked where he got them, he's reply, "Harry Frogley!"

He worked his entire life at the Pilliod Company in Swanton as a foreman. The company was called, the Valve Gear to tell it apart from the Pilliod Cabinet Company which was also in town. The Valve Gear made gears for the A.D. Baker Company. (For more about the A.D. Baker company see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baker_valve_gear)

While working for the company, Pipi lost part of his thumb in an industrial accident.

After Mimi died in 1967, Pipi would have dinner at each one of his son's homes. It was so wonderful to spend time with him. He'd have so much fun passing the butter. It was a stick of butter on a plate, or a true "butter dish." He'd make sure he'd pass the butter with the hand that had the short thumb. He'd give the butter dish a little shove so you'd get butter on your hand. One time, someone had passed him the butter. He always took the plate with the hand with the short thumb. This time he didn't. He got the butter up his hand just like he did to us! Boy, was he surprised!

He was athletic too. I remember he played golf, not a lot, but a little bit. He did enjoy his bowling though. He was the eldest on the league and I think, bowled until he was in his 80s. He loved the Detroit Tigers baseball team and listened to all the games.

One of the nights he was at our home for dinner, I decided to fix fancy dinner. We started with escargot, followed by rabbit, and ended with Cherries Jubilee (which didn't flame!)

When I served the escargot, he said, "They are snails! I've never had snails!" Dad replied that he hadn't had them either. They really turned out well, as did the rest of the dinner, except that dessert! When Pipi got ready to go home, I remember his reply, "Boy, do I have something to tell somebody!"

After Gene and I were married, we took Pipi to McDonald's followed by a Toledo Mud Hens baseball game. We had a great evening with him. Gene even caught a baseball and gave it to him. He was so proud of that baseball!

When Pipi turned 90, we had a birthday party for him with all his family and friends.

The following spring, our daughter, Lindsay was born and he got to see and hold her.

Six weeks later, while combing his hair, getting ready to go to one of his son's home for dinner, he had a massive heart attack and died at the age of 90.